Top 5 Most Successful Batman Film Performances.

Plus an Exclusive New Trailer for The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

Batman has been an American icon since his first Comic book appearance in 1939 and adapted into all forms of media including films, TV, video games, etc. The feature films are the most well-known and have been played with varying levels of competency by numerous actors. With the upcoming release of his latest adventure The Dark Knight Rises (2012) the Movie Monkey has compiled a list detailing Batman’s Top 5 Most Successful film performances from worst to best.

#5 Batman & Robin (1997) George Clooney

The Batman film that brought back Batman’s alleged homoerotic undertones with a raging force. Directed by Joel Schumacher and starring George Clooney as Batman, this film introduced such inane details such as retractable ice skates, Batsuits with nipples, ice related puns and an awkward relationship between Batman and Robin. This film is in essence a commercial for kids toys on ecstasy that should have never been made. George Clooney was terrible as the caped crusader and this film killed the franchise for 8 years until the much darker and more realistic reboot Batman Begins in 2005.

Yes those are nipples on the Batsuit

#4 Batman: The Movie (1966) Adam West

The Campy classic version of Batman is sadly far superior to the Clooney and Schumacher disaster 30 years later. Based on the similarly campy TV show starring Adam West as Batman and Burt Ward as Robin the Boy Wonder. In this version of Batman, the dynamic duo waged battles with explosive rubber Sharks, killer Pirates, Catwoman, The Penguin, Riddler and their greatest villain The Joker all in a single movie. Adam West gives a classic campy portrayal of The Dark Knight carried over from the hit TV series.

#3 Batman Forever (1995) Val Kilmer

This film was the beginning of the downfall of the 90’s Batman. Val Kilmer took over as Batman while Schumacher replaced Tim Burton to create a neon lit Gotham City and a return to the 60’s campy portrayal. This film introduced us once again to The Riddler (Jim Carrey), Two Face (Tommy Lee Jones) and unfortunately brought Robin (Chris O’Donnell) back into the picture. Not as bad as the followup Batman & Robin but still an embarrassing portrayal of the Caped Crusader. Val Kilmer would only portray Batman in this one film and was mediocre at best.

#2 Batman (1989) Michael Keaton

This is by all account the film that introduced the dark Batman to a whole new generation of fans in the late 80’s. Although Michael Keaton was terribly miscast as Batman and Tim Burton clearly had never read any Batman comics but Jack Nicholson gave a great performance as the Joker. Even for all of its shortcomings the Monkey still has a soft spot for this film since it was the first big screen version of Batman to hit the screen during my younger years. The 1992 darker version Batman Returns followed with a sexy Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman and a deranged Danny Devito playing The Penguin. Tim Burton would direct these two films before Joel Schumacher took over and destroyed the franchise.

#1 Batman Begins (2005) Christian Bale

The film that made Batman a dark, bad ass vigilante again. After the shameful Batman & Robin, director Christopher Nolan decided that Batman had to once again return to his roots as a dark and menacing vigilante. Christian Bale surely did not disappoint and portrayed the best Batman to date also starring in the even more successful sequel The Dark Knight and will finish the trilogy with 2012’s The Dark Knight Rises.

The Dark Knight Rises (July 2012) Christopher Nolan

Ok I have to admit, I was utterly dismayed at the untimely death of the great Heath Ledger. His portrayal of the Joker in 2008’s The Dark Knight is one of the greatest performances ever captured on film. I was hoping, as I am sure most of you were that they were going to include unused footage from that film and bring him back to life at least for a few scenes for this film. Well no such luck. Regardless I am still looking forward to the conclusion to the trilogy The Dark Knight Rises (July 2012) and the return of the amazing characters you and I both love.

Christian Bale is of course returning as Bruce Wayne/Batman. (Who else could play Batman now?) Michael Caine, Gary Oldman and Morgan Freeman are all set to return as allies of Bruce Wayne.

The casting of Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle/Catwoman strikes me as a bit odd but I remember thinking the same thing back in 2007 when I heard Heath Ledger was signed to play the Joker. Well we all know how that performance turned out so you can never be quite sure anymore. She may do an amazing job as the Catwoman far surpassing the great Michelle Pfeiffer from 1992’s Batman Returns and she will definitely do better than Halle Berry in that horrendous 2004 Catwoman movie. I have 100% faith in Christopher Nolan that he knows what he is doing when he casts a specific actor for a role. This may very well turn out to be even bigger than the previous installment.

Or you never know it could go the Spider-Man 3 route and completely ruin the Batman legacy. Highly unlikely but still a possibility.